Iran And Italy Are Paying A Hefty Price For Close Ties With Communist China

The Federalist ^ | 17 Mar, 2020 | Helen Raleigh

[MtnClimber]

Iran and Italy's economies are worsening, and their people are suffering most in this Wuhan virus outbreak — all because of their leaders’ short-sighted and foolish decisions.

The coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, has now swept through 126 countries, infected close to 170,000 people worldwide, and is responsible for more than 6,400 deaths as of March 15. China is leading the world in the number of confirmed cases and deaths. What many people find shocking is that Italy and Iran are the second- and third-hardest hit nations in this outbreak.

By any common-sense measure, both countries should have much lower numbers of confirmed cases and deaths because they are geographically far from the epicenter of the outbreak. The reason these two countries are suffering the most outside China is mainly due to their close ties with Beijing, primarily through the “One Belt and One Road” (OBOR) initiative.

OBOR is Beijing’s foreign policy play disguised as infrastructure investment. Here’s how it works: China and country X agree to do an infrastructure project in country X. Country X has to borrow from a Chinese bank to finance the project. A contract is always awarded to Chinese companies, which then bring supplies and Chinese employees to country X to build the project.(snip)

While this initiative has worked out well for China’s strategic interests, it hasn’t done the same for participating countries. At least eight countries that signed on the OBOR initiative are so indebted to the Chinese that they had to hand over their strategic assets to China to offset their debt. Despite these worrisome precedents, leaders in both Italy and Iran eagerly signed up to OBOR in 2019, hoping the red capital from Communist China would rescue their nations from economic woes. Now they are paying a dear price for it.

[mosesdapoet]

Italy’s high rate of CCOMVID19 deaths might well be Chinese laborers who traveled back and forth to China brought in to work in factories they bought in Italy.
By not identifying them as such left the impression these deaths enhanced the panic of contagion from limited contact when actually those that died from it had extended previous exposure to it. Italians should be asking Why their government did this if this is true.

[Trump.Deplorable]

This whole ordeal exposed China for exactly who they are.

Also exposed the media as being their willful accomplices

Also exposed Iran as close buddy buddies

Also exposed the Dems as China’s and Dem talking points always seem to line up

Exposed the worthless WHO should be the CHO Chinese Health Organization

China has been exposed

And I believe President Trump is the only President that will make them pay for this.

[trebb]

Which deal/Admin are you referring to?

[little jeremiah]

Graham said he is not pushing for more HB1 visas, a lot of disinfo is being put out by the fake news to make Trump and his admin. look bad/stupid.

[bitt]

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